A Slow-Productivity Tip for Getting Back into the Work Routine (Warning: it's a bit “Weird”)

Feeling like you're stuck on vay-cay mode after a long summer break and dreading the overwhelm of catching up on projects? Then this is for you...

Even though I'm excited to resume my normal routine, as a work from home parent and solopreneur, getting back into the groove can be tough. So if you're in a similar boat don't worry, I've got you covered with this slow, but weird, productivity strategy to help you hit the ground running caress the ground strolling (this is s-l-o-w productivity after all ;)

It's common to feel unmotivated or distracted after taking an extended break from work. I’ve just had 6 weeks of a slower pace and pretty much no routine thanks to my kiddos being on summer break. However, with back to school season starting, it's important to get back on track with things to avoid falling behind on important business tasks and projects.

Although it’s tempting to rush in and take massive action to regain your productivity so you can avoid struggling to keep up with deadlines and responsibilities, this approach can lead to more stress, anxiety, and burnout, because you’re overloading yourself at the start of the race (remember the tortoise and the hare story). So what's the alternative?

Let it be Easy, if not a Little Weird

What if we could ease back into work and set the tone for our productivity with just a simple hack designed to help us reset our focus for the new season?

So with that in mind, I’m sharing a weird(ish) productivity hack I’ll be implementing to get back on track and feeling productive.

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a short interruption to say…

Autumn Clean Sweep

With Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice just around the corner, the start of autumn (or fall for my American friends) is the perfect time to give your studio or office space a quick refresh. You may be wondering what place a cleaning tip has when it comes to productivity, but hear me out…

I was recently watching a Cal Newport podcast episode titled A Strange (But Effective) Productivity Hack To Enhance Focus, Clarity & Creativity. Cal shared some unusual 'hacks' around the use of location, specifically novel locations, when it comes to unlocking focus and creativity. This concept triggered an idea: what if I could create a novel location experience simply by 'refreshing' my studio space? But then my brainstorm went one level deeper, into weirdness.

But Wait, We can get Weirder!

A few weeks back, I stumbled upon the concept of “Structured Procrastination” while researching contrarian ideas for productivity hacks. The term was first coined by John Perry, a professor of philosophy at Stanford University. In his essay "Structured Procrastination" published in 1995, Perry describes his own tendency to procrastinate on important tasks by working on less important tasks instead, and argues that this can actually be a useful strategy for increasing productivity and motivation. He suggests that by embracing our natural tendency to procrastinate, we can use it to our advantage. For example, if you're avoiding writing a plan for launching a new product, you might instead clean your office or organize your desk. By doing these tasks, you're still being productive, but you're also giving yourself a mental break from the more challenging task.

So, my train of thought is that by allowing myself 1-2 hours to give my workspace a clean sweep, I can leverage several hacks at once, as follows:

1. By refreshing my surroundings I can create a novel location to help tap into creativity. I’m thinking this could be as simple as: switching up the décor with new plants or cushion covers; moving the furniture around (but nothing big or major as this is a slow productivity hack); or even creating some new, inspiring artwork to hang up.

2. Utilizing “Structured Procrastination” by spending time to blitz the dust bunnies lurking in the corners, giving the space a quick tidy up by getting rid of any rubbish and making sure things are back where they belong.

3. The tidying-up and decluttering from point 2 will have a knock-on effect of allowing me to have a distraction-free workspace that promotes focus.

The result is one strategy with a three-fold benefit, that is probably crazy enough to work.

So let me know in the comments, did my strategy surprise you, or are you already planning a workspace spruce-up, or do you want to see a before and after of how my studio was versus how it is now?

Until next time Planner Friend, check out the book recommendations below…
Chloe x

You can pre-order Cal Newport’s book on slow productivity, Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout, it’s due to be released March 5th, 2024*

Once he stopped procrastinating, Professor Perry turned his essay into a book: The Art of Procrastination: A Guide to Effective Dawdling, Lollygagging and Postponing*

* Affiliate links — Please note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from any qualifying purchases you may make after clicking these links.